Leaking homes and buildings are one of the biggest contributors to the climate, but a Dayton, Ohio-based startup is making big strides in solving the problem. Aerosealtype that seals both air ducts and building envelopes, is now available throughout the United States and in 29 countries.
Leaking ductwork and walls are the biggest cause of wasted energy in the home. Typical systems can lose 25% to 40% of heating or cooling energy. While newer homes are more tightly built, older homes are the main culprit. Reducing that wasted energy not only reduces consumer bills, but also reduces emissions associated with energy production, a significant contributor to climate change. Overall, heating and cooling of homes and businesses will account for 13% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, according to the United States. I have to go to school every day.
Since air ducts are usually inside walls, sealing them off can be difficult, but the technology does it from the inside, working through the ducts without cutting into the wall.
“What we did was figure out a way to seal the air ducts in the building envelope without having physical access to the leaks,” said Aeroseal CEO Amit Gupta.
The system is relatively simple and similar to fixing a flat tire. It first pressurizes the ducts or the building casing with a fan, then pumps out the micrometer sized particles which, when they try to get out of the building or any space, automatically attach themselves to the tubes. gaps and seal them. The beads are made of a non-toxic, non-flammable vinyl acetate and water emulsion, according to the company, which adds that these are some of the same ingredients found in pacifiers and chewing gum.
Gupta says sealing a mid-sized home will cost about $2,500, but claims the investment will save itself on energy costs over four years.
Gupta added: “Everybody should fix this. They not only make their home comfortable, but they also make their house cleaner because they won’t suck in air from the attic or from the space. crawl or between walls”.
Aeroseal is working with major builders like DR Horton, Lennar and Beazerand mid-sized builders like Denver-based Thrive.
Gene Myers, CEO of Thrive said: “We have built our brand on energy efficiency and this is really the best way to achieve that. “I think energy efficiency and carbon reduction go hand in hand, and we’re really focused on reducing carbon in our company.”
Aeroseal has raised about $30 million in venture capital to date from companies such as Breakthrough Energy, Energy Impact Partners, Construction Ventures, and 2150.
